Desserts, served in small glass mugs, include options such as double chocolate cake, strawberry shortcake, cheesecake, lemon bar and caramel pretzel brownie at Burntwood Tavern in Mercato in North Naples. Tim Aten/Naples Daily News

The release did not specifically say Burntwood would take over the current Cru space, but Bell Tower's communications team confirmed that is the case.

Burntwood is expected to open later this year, per the release.

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Burntwood Tavern opened in 2017 in the former space of Rusty Bucket at Mercato in North Naples.(Photo: Tim Aten/Naples Daily News)

The Burntwood news comes on the heels of Cru and Bistro 41 announcing their pending closures later this month. Both longtime restaurants cited a failure to reach a lease agreement with mall management for their shuttering. Cru opened on the southern end of Bell Tower in 2004, while Bistro 41 has been a mall cornerstone since 1997.

Cedar salmon is accompanied by oven-dried tomato vinaigrette, roasted vegetables and blistered asparagus at Burntwood Tavern, now open at Mercato in North Naples.(Photo: Burntwood Tavern)

Flatbtreads and salads vary in price from $6.90 to $14. The Angus burger comes with hand-cut fries for $12, while entrees include bourbon-lacquered pork with white-bean-asparagus ragout ($19) to cedar salmon with a fire-roasted tomato vinaigrette ($21.90).

Burntwood offers a full-liquor bar with house-infused vodkas as well as a menu of craft cocktails. Burntwood prides itself on creating unique dishes and looks for each of its restaurants. The Naples location was the first to offer grouper.

“We were committed to having a great grouper sandwich,” Adams said in a 2017 interview prior to the Mercato opening. “It will be a staple on our specials menu.”

Adams, who has a home in North Naples, fell in love with Southwest Florida's Midwest vibe years ago when he was a regional operating partner for the Bravo Brio Restaurant Group. Perhaps not coincidentally, the Collier Burntwood opened right next door to Bravo Cucina Italiana at Mercato.

“A key component in our year-long comprehensive redevelopment at Bell Tower is the addition of new restaurants, boutiques and retail stores, and we’re excited to welcome Burntwood Tavern to Bell Tower,” Samantha Lillard, the mall's senior general manager, said in the news release.

“The restaurant will give Southwest Florida residents and visitors another reason to check out ‘the new Bell Tower,’ and we’ll be announcing more openings in the weeks and months ahead."